The Sterilized Are Sick And Die

The only two men who persistently practiced sterilizing their food
and drink lived semi-invalid lives, and died at that time in life when
mind should be at the acme of value. I have reference to Professors
Pasteur and Metchnikoff. There may have been others--perhaps Koch--but
I do not now recall them. These two men were the fathers of
bacteriology.

We :have seen that digestive secretions--enzymes--unorganized
ferments--are necessary to dissolve food and prepare it for
absorption, and that bacteria--organized ferments--are necessary to
dissolve food and prepare it for expulsion from the body. Bacteria are
necessary to dissolve food taken in excess of what can be liquefied
and utilized by enzymic digestion. Organized
ferments--germs--belong to the health department of our bodies; they
keep the sewers, gutters, and alleys clean. If they ever become a
menace, it is when they become too officious and try to dictate, as
the health departments of our cities sometimes do. Their failure,
however, is often due to an oversupply of work.

The bacteria cause acetic and alcoholic fermentation of the
carbohydrate (starchy) foods; and the same bacteria cause a
putrefactive decay in the nitrogenous or proteid (animal) foods, with
the development of toxin and the giving-off of offensive gases which
are toxic.